Alternating-current relay



Jan, 20, 1925. 1,523,423

J. F. D. HOGE ALTERNAT ING CURRENT RELAY Filed May ll, 1922 Hg. z

Jose/Z/F/fo e A by A7732 a citizen of the United States,

Patented Jan.' 20, 1925,

UNITED STATES i v 1,523,423 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. n, HOGE, or NEW YORK,

PANY, INCORPORATED, or NEW N. Y., AssIGNoE To WESTERN ELECTRIC com- YoEx, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

ALTEENATINe-CUEEENT RELAY.

Application med my 11, 1922. serial No. 500,101.

. scription.

This invention relates to relays designed to selectively respond tocurrents of a desired frequency. y

An object of the invention is to so mount the relay as to render its operation independent of all jars or shocks.

A further object of the invention is to improve the means for adjusting the contacts of the relay, and to maintain such `contacts in an adjusted position.

y Morefspeciically, the invention relates to a relay which is so mounted upon rubber sponges by means of washers and stud screws that there will be a certain allowable play between the base plate of the relay and its mounting surface. The relay which is designed to operate, say at a frequency of 135 cycles, has its adjusting means placed in such a positionA as to be readily accessible when it becomes necessary to correct any- Idevlation of the vibrating relay reed from its desired operation. Furthermore, the improved locking means provided for holding this -adjusting device in its desired position, is so designed as to permit exceedingly accurate a justments of the/relay to be obtained and to lock these adjustments without in any way disturbing the adjustment obtained. No tools are required Ffor the adjusting or locking means.

, In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vperspective view, partly in section, of the preferred modiiication of the invention, while Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly vshown in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, an alternating current relay having a base late 1 is mounted upon a metallic mount- 1ng 2 which has attached thereto a series of plugs 3 to adapt the relay for rack mounting. A flange or a handle 4 integral with the mounting 2 facilitates the handling of the relay. Rubber Sponges 5, held in place by ears 6 which are integral with the mounting 2, are laced between the base plate 1 of the relay and the mounting. Other sponges are held on the under side of the mounting 2 in alignment' with the two intermediate Sponges by means of disk Washers 7 and stud screws 8 which are threaded into the relay base plate 1. This method of mounting relieves the relay of unnecessary jarring and furthermore facilitates removal and renewal of the sponges or other shock absorbing means, should such means become fati ued.

e relay properv comprises a conducting block 9 having mounted thereon a metallic bar 10 which is separated from block 9 by insulation 11. A vibrating reed 12 has its one end ixedly mounted in the conducting block 9 and its other end free to move between the pole pieces of two electromagnets 13 and 14 which are located on either side thereof. A follow-up spring 15, which cooperates with the vibrating reed 12, is similarly attachedto the bar 10, its other endbeing free to move with vibrating reed 12. A small weight 16 which is attached to the free end of the follow-up spring 15 engages a rubber covered stop 17 in the course of its vibrations, the stop serving to limit the amplitude of the springs 'brations A spirah spring 22v is attac ied. at one end to the follow-up spring and at its other end to an adjusting rod 18 by means of a libre thread 23. This spring serves as a ,means for varying the tension upon followup spring 15. l

The adjustingprod 18 is rotatably mounted at its one end on bar 10 and has its other end journaled into a supporting post 19. A shoulder 20 attached to adjusting rod 18 engages supporting post 19 and serves to limit the end play of the rod 18. Adjusting knob 21 spaced from shoulder 20 is rigidly attached to one end of the rod 18 and serves as an accessible means for adjusting the angularY position of this rod. A locking member 24 is pivotally mounted upon the post 19 and is provided with a lip 25 which 1s free to move between the shoulder 20 and knob 21 of the adjusting rod 18. A set screw 26 is threaded into thelocking member 24, the end of the screw engaging post 19 when the screw is turned to force the lower portion of the locking member 24 away from thepost 19 at` the same time bringing the lip 25 into close engagement with the shoulder 20 of the adjusting rod 18. By means of this arrangement, it is possible to so vary the rictlon between the lip and the shoulder 20 that the adjusting rod 18 may be turned to any-desired position ,withou having the 'spiral spring 22 exert suiii'cient tension to draw the rod back to its o riginal position. the desired position is thus obtained, it is possible by turning the set screw 26 a few degrees to apply a sufficiently greater friction to the shoulder 20 .to securely lock the member 18 without disturbing its adjusted position.'

The operation oit the relay is as follows: Alternating current passing into the electromagnets 13 and 14 causes the vibration of the reed or armature 12. 'lhe armature being stili and of comparatively heavy stock has a natural period of vibration of approximately 135 cycles per second so\that a small current ofltlis same frequency passing through the coils 13 and 14 will set such armature into motion. The spring 15 being of very much lighter stock and having a weight attached to its end has a low natural period of vibration so that when the armature 12 is set in motion the spring l5 is struck and caused to swing toward the post 17, and since it has a low period of vibra'- tion will open the circuit normally closed through these members. `Fundamentally the operation of this relayis similar to. the operation of the relay shown and described in the patent to Fell, No. 708,539, September 9, 1902. v

'When the adjusting knob 21 is turned 1n a clockwise direction the coil spring 22 will tighten and raise the tension in the, followyup spring 15. By varying this tension the period of vibration of spring 15 may be changed so that the effective vopening of the contact between spring 15 andA armature 12 during the operation of the relay may be varied so as to be sufcient for the purpose for which the relay is designed.

What is claimed is:

1. A relay having an armature, a ten-` sioning device, and means for controlling said tensioning device comprisingarod having a shoulder integral therewith, and a locking device having a lip for engaging said shoulder for rendering said means in- 4 operable.

` 2. A relay havin a exible armature, a tensioning device or said armature, and means for controlling said tensioning device comprising an accessible member having a shoulder integral therewith, and a pivoted locking member for engaging said shoulder to render said first named means inoperable.

3. A relay having a iiexible armature, a tensioning device or said armature, and means for controlling said tensioning device comprising anaccessible member having a shoulder integral therewith, and a Apivoted locking member for engaging said When shoulder4 to render said first named means i inoperable.

4. A relay having a flexible armature, a tensioning device for said armature, a support, a member cooperating with said support, said member having a shoulder intevgral therewith, and a pivoted locking memtensioning device for said armature, a support, means for 'varying the tensioning of said device comprising a member journaled inv said support, said member having a shoulder integral therewith, and a pressure varying member for engaging said shoulder tg) 1render said first named member inopera e.

6. A relay having a flexible armature, a tensioning device for said armature, a support, `a rotatable member journaled therein serving to vary the tension of said device, said member having a shoulder, and an adjusting knob integraltherewith, said shoulder and said knob being spaced from each other, a pressure varying member having a lip disposed between said shoulder and said knob, and serving to restrict said rotatable member.

7. In a relay, a llexible armature, a sup- I 8. In combination, a support, a rotatable memberfjou-rnaled therein, said member having a knob integral therewith for varying its angular position, and means for locking said member comprising a pivoted bar having a lip for engaging said knob, and means to tilt the lip of the pivoted member-into frictional engagement with said knob.

9. In combination a support, a rotatable member journaled therein, said member having a shoulder integral therewith, an adjustable knob spaced from said shoulder, means for locking 'said member comprising a pivoted bar having a lip disposed intermediate said shoulder and said adjustable knob to frictionally engage saidshoulder, and a member threaded in said pivoted member and engaging said support to tilt said lip intofengagement with said shoulder.

10. In com ination, a body portion, a

block mounted thereon, an armature having to cooperate with said armature, electromagnetic means secured to said body portion and serving to actuate said armature and said resilient member, a sup ort on said body portion, a rotatable mem er journaled in said support and having an adjustable knob integral therewith, tensioning means disposed between said resilient member and said rotatable rod, and locking eans pivotally mounted on said support for frictionally engaging said adjustable knob to render the rotating member inoperable.

11. A resiliently mounted relay -compris' ing a body portion and a base plate, elastic material between said body portion and said base plate, means for holding said material in place, a support .secured to said base plate,

one end attached to said support, said spring cooperating with said armature to operate the/relay, a U-shapedsupport attached to said base plate,

a pair of pole pieces mounted on said support and serving to actuate said armature and said spring, a post, a rotatable member journaled in said post and having an adjustable knob integral therewith, a locking member pivotally secured to said post, said member engaging the knob to render said rotating memberv`v inoperable.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of May A. D., 1922.

JosEPH F. D. HOGE.. 

